Priscila Bentes chooses the five most exclusive in Rio
Synonymous with quality, the Circuito Elegante is an association that rates luxury hotels, created byhotel expert Priscila Bentes. Annually, she and her team rate the best accommodation in Brazil and release a magazine of the same name with over 150 establishments offering special services of a high quality, whether it be for holidaymakers in search of relaxation, family holidays, romantic getaways, spa holidays or business trips.
This centenarian hotel is an icon of Rio de Janeiro’s hospitality industry and is one of the picture postcards of Copacabana. It’s view over the sea and combined with its opulent architecture and décor mean the hotel’s elegance is unmatched. “To be in Copa, as it is affectionately known, is already a privilege. If you stay in one of the seafront suites, spacious, comfortable and with a view to take your breath away, it is just something else. The staff, from the kind valets and attentive receptionists to the general managers who pay great attention to detail to the accommodation, all of them impress you. And why not also mention the room perfume...How lovely it is to walk through the halls with an aroma of lemongrass”, Priscila says.
Overlooking the sea at Ipanema, with Arpoador at one end and Dois Irmãos at the other, the verandas at the Fasano are privileged with some of the most emblematic views in the city. “The hotel has a real Rio air about it: the laid back pitter‐patter of flip flops of the hotel’s illustrious guests on their way to the beach. There is the happy hour in bar Londra and the sunset on the rooftop
veranda with swimming pool. The architecture and décor designed by frenchman Philippe Starck, who has made extensive use of wood, glass, marble and precious stones. The style of the decor is understated and elegant, with pieces inspired by the 1950s and 60s, all creations by Sérgio Rodrigues.”
Tucked away on one of Santa Teresa’s charming and bucolic hills is this eponymous hotel, surrounded by houses and small buildings characteristic of the neighbourhood. “Considered one of the most beautiful hotels in South America, it has been converted from a historic colonial ranch. It remained closed for many years and has recently been restored with charm and sophistication making it a benchmark in Rio in tropical Brazilian design.The suites? There are no words to describe them. You just have to experience them, take your time and enjoy all the elegance that they offer”, Bentes advises.
Between Ipanema and Copacabana, at the foot of one of the biggest communities in Rio, the famous Pavão‐Pavãozinho, this boutique hotel has a view over Ipanema beach and the Atlantic Ocean. “The Hotel, which is the first boutique hotel by the sea in Rio de Janeiro, was intended to have design, luxury and personalised service combined with fair trade tourism in what is one of the most authentic experiences in Rio de Janeiro. A veritable paradise of tranquility and elegance in the most vibrant city in South America”, says Bentes.
“The first boutique design hotel in Rio de Janeiro, the was idea to offer an exclusive ambience, with personality and style”, Priscila tells us. “They offer beach services, a restaurant and two bars which are two of the best meetup spots I know. At Bar do Hotel, award‐winning Chef Lydia Gonzalez brings authentic Carioca flavours to her refined dishes and then there is Bar do Lado, practically on the sidewalk opposite the elegant Leblon beach, where beautiful people congregate every day.” Synonymous with quality, the Circuito Elegante is an association that rates luxury hotels, created by hotel expert Priscila Bentes. Annually, she and her team rate the best accommodation in Brazil and release a magazine of the same name with over 150 establishments offering special services of a high quality, whether it be for holidaymakers in search of relaxation, family holidays, romantic getaways, spa holidays or business trips.
